Foldable bed



Aug. 11, 1931. BROWN 1,818,036

. FOLDABLE BED Filed June 21, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 11, 1931. N,ROWN 1,818,036

FOLDABLE BED Filed June 21, 1926 v 2..SheetsSheet 2 Patented Aug. 11,1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NEWTON N.'BROWN, RACINE, WISCONSIN,ASSIGNOB TO GOLD MEDAL CAMP FUR- NITUIQZE 00., OF RAGINE, WISCONSIN, ACORPORATION OF WISCONSIN FOLDAIBLE BED Application filed June 21,

This invention relates to improvements in foldable beds. 9

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improvedbed of the character referred to which is simple in construction,

strong and rigid, which may be readily set up and folded into a compactbundle for transportation, and which may be manufactured at a relativelysmall cost.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one embodiment thereof isshown in the drawings, in which 16 Figure 1 is a perspective viewshowing the improved bed set up, some of the'parts being broken awayfor-the sake of clearness;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the improved bed when setup Fig. 3 is' an enlarged sectional view,

on the line'3 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4c is an enlarged sectional on the line li- 1 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view, on the line 5 -5 in Fig. 2';

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view, taken on the line 6-6 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view, the improved bed partly folded;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. the bed more completely folded;

Fig. 9 is an elevational view, ward the left in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged end elevational view of the bed frame completelyfolded, the mattress being laid out preparatory to wrapping of the sameabout the folded frame; and

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10, showing the mattress wrapped aboutthe folded frame.

The improved bed comprises the side members 10 and 11 jointedintermediate their respective ends for folding, as shown in Figs. 7 and8, and the end members 12 and 13 pivotally connected at their ends tothe respective ends of the side members by means 0 bolts or rivets 14;.The side member 10 comprises the pair of complementary channel members15 and 16, the end 17 of member 16 overlapping andnesting with theadjacent end 18 of member 15 when these members are taken view, takentaken showing 30 7, showing looking to- 1926. Serial No. 117,333.

moved into alignment, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 1, the respectiveflanges 19 and 20 of members 15 and 16 etxending downwardly when the bedframe is set up, as showfn. Hinged parts 21 are arranged between flanges19 of channel member 15 and secured thereto by rivets 22, these partsbeing provided with apertured ears 23 extending outwardly beyond theedges of flanges 19. Similar and opoppositely-directed hinge parts 24are. arranged between and secured to flanges 20 of channel member 16 bymeans of rivets 25 and are provided with apertured ears 26 which extendoutwardly beyond the edges of flanges 20 and which register with theears 23. A rivet 27 is passed through the registering apertures in ears23 and 26 and provides a pivotal connection betweenthe channel members15 and 16, a spacing collar 28 being arranged on the rivet between ears23, as shown in Fig. 5.

A supporting leg 29 of angle iron is arranged with its upper end fittedbetween flanges 19 of channel member 15 and is pivotally connected tothe latter at a point removed from the outer endthereof by means of therivet or bolt 30 whereby the leg may be folded upon member 15 anddisposed between flanges 19 thereof throughout its entire length, asindicated in Fig. 8. For the purpose of holding leg 29 in supportingposition a rigid brace 31 is pivotally connected at one end thereof toleg 29 by the rivet 32, the other end of the brace being hooked over ascrew 33 screwedinto the inner edge of end member 12 with its headspaced slightly therefrom to permit of insertion of this end of brace 31between the screw head and member 12, as shown'in Figs. 2 and 6. Ajointed bracing element 34, comprising the parts 35 and 36 pivotallyconnected at their adjacent ends by the rivet 37, is pivotally connectedtochannel member 15 and leg 29 by the rivets 38 and 39. The part 35 isprovided with the laterally extending lug 10 arranged to enter therecess 4:1 inpart 36 to prevent relative pivotal movement of these partsin one direction'beyond the position thereof where they are in alignmentto brace leg 29, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.-

When it is desired to fold leg 29, the brace 31 is unhooked from thescrew 33 and swung downwardly about rivet 32 as a center into alignmentwith leg 29, as

shown in Fig. 7 and in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The bracing element 34 isthen broken at its joint, as shown in Fig. 7, and leg 29 folded inwardlyupon member 15 and between flanges 19 thereof, the arrangement beingsuch that leg 29 and the brace 31 carried thereby are disposed entirelybetween flanges 19, the bracing element 34 folding between member 15 andleg 29 at this time.

A leg 42, similar in construction to leg 29, is fitted at its upper endbetween the flanges 20 of channel member 16 and is pivotally connectedto the latter at a point removed from its outer end by means of therivet or bolt 43. The leg 42 is held in supporting position by means ofthe jointed bracing element 44 pivotally connected by means of rivets 45to member 16 and leg 42 and which is similar in construction to thebracing element 34, and a rigid brace 46 similar in construction to thebrace 31 and pivotally connected by the rivet 47 to leg 42 and hooked atits upper end over the screw 48 screwed partly into the inner edge ofend member 13 with its head spaced therefrom, as shown in Fig. 9, toaccommodate the hook end of brace 46.

The side member 11 is identical in construction to side member 10, andcomprises the channel members 49 and 50 pivotally connected at theiradjacent inner ends by the rivet 51. A leg 52 similar to legs 29 and 42is fitted at its upper end between the flanges of channel member 50 andis pivotally connected to the latter at a point remote from itsouter endin the same manner as legs 29 and 42 are pivotally connected to thecorresponding ends of channel members 15 and 16, leg 52 being providedwith the rigid brace 53, similar in construction and manner of operation to braces 31 and 46, and the jointed bracing element 54 is'similarin construction and manner of operation to the jointed bracing elements34 and 44. A leg 55, similar to legs '29, 42 and 52, is fitted at itsupper end between the flanges of channel member 49 and is pivotallyconnected to the latter at a point removed from its outer end in thesame manner as legs 29, 42 and 52 are pivotally connected to channelmembers 15, 16 and 50 at pointsremoved from their respective outer ends.Leg 55 is provided with the rigid brace 56 and the jointed bracingelement 57 similar in construction and manner of operation re-'spectively to braces 31, 46 and 53 and the jointed bracing elements 34,44 and 54. A springmattress 58 of any suitable construction is providedat one end with an end member 59 secured to the end frame member 12by-screws 60, the'outer edge 61 of member 59 being bent downwardly overthe outer edge of member 12to provide for a better connection betweenthese parts and to relieve screws from unnecessary strain when the bedis set up and the mattress placed under tension in the mannerhereinafter explained. The other end of mattress 58 is provided with theend member 62 which is co-extensive with the end frame member 13 andwhich is substantially U-shape in cross-section, as shown, member 62being detachable with respect to member 13 and arranged to fit aroundthe outer edge of the latter to connect this end of the mattressthereto.

In setting up the bed, the side frame members 10 and 11 are unfolded, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the legs 29,42, 52 and 55 unfolded to theirrespective supporting positions and the rigid braces 31, 46, 53 and 56hooked to the end frame members 12 and 13 in the manner explained above.The jointed side frame members 10 and 11 are then broken a slight amountat their respective joints and the U-shape member 62 hooked over theouter edge of end frame member 13, after which the side frame members 10and 11 are again straightened out as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this actionoperating to pull the mattress 58 taut and place the same under tension.In this connection it is to be noted that since the pivotal connections27 and 51 are below the mattress 58, the tension in the latter when thebed is set up has no tendency to cause side members 10 and 11 to foldup, but on the contrary tends to keep them in operative position.

In folding up the bed, the side frame members 10 and 11 are first brokenat their res tive joints, and the U-shape member 62 51? unhooked fromend frame member 13 and the mattress 58 swung over to the left out ofthe way, as shown in Fig. 7. The rigid braces 31, 46, 53 and 56 are thenunhooked from and members 12 and 13 and swung downwardly into alignmentwith their respective legs 29, 42, 52 and 55, after which the jointedbracing elements 34, 44, 54 and 57 are broken, as shown in Fig. 7, andthe legs folded inwardly between the flanges of the channel memberscomprising side frame members 10 and 11. The folding of side members 10and 11 is then completed, as shown in Fig. 8, and the folded sidemembers then swung downwardly and folded one upon the other betweenframe members 12 and 13, as shown in Figs. 9 to 11, after which themattress 58 is wrapped about the folded bed frame, as shown in Fig. 11.

The nesting of the adjacent ends of channel members 15, 16, 49 and 50when the bed is set up provides for great rigidity of the side framemembers 10 and 11 and prevents spreading of the latter at their joints.

From the foregoing it will be seen that an improved bed has beenprovided which is simple in construction, which is rigid and durable,and which may be readily set up and folded into a compact bundle fortransportation. a

For the purpose of illustrating the invention one embodiment thereof hasbeen shown and described, but of course various changes be made such asin the size, shape and arrangement of the parts Without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A foldable bed comprising end rails, side rails, each side railcomprising a pair of channel sections, the adjacent ends of the channelsection of each side rail being pivotally connected together about ahorizontal axis, the remote ends of the channel sections of each siderail being directly engaged with and pivotally connected to the endrails about a vertical axis, the sections of each side rail beingfoldable up against each other about their horizontal axes and beingfoldable down between the end rails about their vertical axes, foldablelegs and braces connected to the side rails and adapted to be positionedwithin the channels thereof when the bed is folded up, the openings ofthe channels confronting when the side rails are folded up whereby tomaintain the folded legs and braces within the channel, the end railsserving to maintain the engaging relation of the channel sections andthe retention of the folded legs and braces therein when the bed isfolded up.

2. A foldable bed comprising end rails, side rails, each side railcomprising a pair of channel sections, a hinge between the adjacent endsof each pair of channel sections, each hinge having a horizontal pivotoffset below the sections of its side rails in the extended positionthereof, the remote ends of the sections of each side rail beingpivotally connected to the end rails about a vertical axis, foldablelegs and braces connected to the side rails and positionable in thechannels of the sections thereof when the bed is folded up, and arollable spring having one end connected to one end rail and its otherend detachably connected to the other end rail, the channel sections ofthe side rail holding the foldable legs and braces within and betweenthemselves in the folded position of the bed, the end rails holding thefolded side rails between themselves and in folded position when the bedis folded up, the spring being rolled around the end rails to maintainthe folded arrangement of these parts when the bed is folded up.

In witness whereof, I hereto affix my signature.

NEWTON N. BROWN.

